A Jesus girl, railroad wife, homeschool mom, avid book reader, enjoy's coffee, country life, walking, hiking, and yoga. Doing my best to make the most of life by following God, encouraging others, and enjoying every minute of it!! So follow me along as I blog about life as a mom, my faith, and sharing books. Proverbs 3:5~Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

The world talks so much about our bodies and things we need to have or be. But what about our souls?

Your soul is the deepest thing about you. Jesus
said that the soul is more valuable than the world. So why would we not value
it? Two things are true: 1. You have a soul, 2. It is the only one you will
ever have. - John Ortberg

Romans 12:2-5 So here’s what I want you to do,
God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping,
eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God
as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you
can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you
fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God.
You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants
from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you,
always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best
out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Friday, April 25, 2014

I am so thankful to have this week behind me, four doctor appointments for this girl about wore me out, plus you know the everyday living that is required of a wife and mama to two little one's. But I wouldn't trade my life for anything!

Just when you think I have it all together, I don't! I heard the other
day I wish I was like you and I thinking like why? I have learned over
the years not to compare your life with anyone and the "grass is not
greener". I am a mess, well not everyday, but most days I do mess up in one way or another. I am weak and my flesh fails. But thankfully I have a God is who is full of grace! Who will fill me up and gives me hope! All I have to do is ask and seek Him (Matthew 7:7)!These have been my go to verses this week:

"The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will
not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."~Deuteronomy 31:8

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will
strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous
right hand.~ Isiah 41:10

This weeks encouragement has come from not only other blogs but songs, as I spent a lot of time in the vehicle this week driving myself to doctor appointments. So I got some quiet time, no distractions and enjoyed it! The songs have such a great message and words I needed to hear, that I know the Lord sent to me.

I lay me down I’m not my own
I belong to you alone
Lay me down, lay me down
Hand on my heart this much is true
There’s no life apart from you
Lay me down, lay me down
Lay me down, lay me down
Letting go of my pride
Giving up all my rights
Take this life and let it shine
Take this life and let it shine

I'm not gonna worry
I know that You've got me
Right inside the palm of your hand
Each and every moment
What's good and what gets broken
Happens just the way You planhttp://youtu.be/T0ip40j82ws

What I am learning is not only is it important to take time reading and
studying God's Word, but also be aware of how else He speaks to you. He
is every where, just look at the trees, the sunrise or sunset, a
rainbow, or children playing. I will miss Him if I am distracted and so
easily happens, when I don't seek, rest or take the time to hear Him. My
focus verse this year is He must increase, I must decrease~John 3:30,
so I must remember to keep that focus and keep my heart open. Because
when I do, I see and hear Him so much more clearly! You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.~Jeremiah 29:13

So where have you heard from God? Has a song spoke to you or something you see in nature?

Thursday, April 24, 2014

God my rock, my salvation, you are everywhere, i am in awe of your great love! help me to see your presence in it all!

Psalm 62: 1-18

God, investigate my life;get all the facts firsthand.I’m an open book to you;even from a distance, you know what I’m thinking.You know when I leave and when I get back;I’m never out of your sight.You know everything I’m going to saybefore I start the first sentence.I look behind me and you’re there,then up ahead and you’re there, too—your reassuring presence, coming and going.This is too much, too wonderful—I can’t take it all in!

7-12 Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?to be out of your sight?If I climb to the sky, you’re there!If I go underground, you’re there!If I flew on morning’s wingsto the far western horizon,You’d find me in a minute—you’re already there waiting!Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark!At night I’m immersed in the light!”It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you;night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.

13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;you formed me in my mother’s womb.I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!Body and soul, I am marvelously made!I worship in adoration—what a creation!You know me inside and out,you know every bone in my body;You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,how I was sculpted from nothing into something.Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;all the stages of my life were spread out before you,The days of my life all preparedbefore I’d even lived one day.

17-22 Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!God, I’ll never comprehend them!I couldn’t even begin to count them—any more than I could count the sand of the sea.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

The weather is beautiful and we have been enjoying lots of playtime outside and fun in the sun!! The kids enjoyed an Easter Egg hunt this weekend and playing with our new puppy Zeke!

Ready to head out to the hunt!

Start them young mowing, he loves it, let's hope he continues

as he gets older and with a real lawn mower!

Meet Zeke!

He likes to sleep!

He has made friends with Peter, our cat!

Tomorrow excited to celebrate Easter, the day our Savior rose from the dead!

"Hallelujah
Jesus is alive
Death has lost it's victory
And the grave has been denied
Jesus lives forever
He's alive!
He's alive!
He's the Alpha and Omega
The first and last is he
The curse of sin is broken
And we have perfect liberty
The Lamb of God is risen
He's alive
He's alive!
Hallelujah
Jesus is alive!"~Hillsong

Mark 16:5-6 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him

Friday, April 18, 2014

I am thankful for beautiful warm sunshine, songs that ignite my spirit, my faith, God always loving faithfulness, the love of family, cards received in the mail, children's laughter and hugs, puppy dog kisses, sushi, husband's love and his ability to make something out of scraps, mom time, coffee, but most importantly my salvation!

I Corinthians 15:55-58:

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand
firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of
the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Those are just some of the wonderful blessings I received this week, it is what helps me change my perspective when I am feeling sadness. What are your thankful for, what has God blessed you with this week?

For everything God created is good,
and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with
thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.~1Timothy 4:4-5

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.~1 Chronicles 16:34

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.~Psalm 7:17

The LORD is my strength and my
shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.~Psalm 28:7

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.~Psalm 100:4

Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.~Psalm 106:1

In that day you will say: "Give
thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what
he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.~Isaiah 12:4

Here is some worthwhile reading this week:

This is just so beautiful and will make you cry..."And I struggle to let Him in. I struggle to let in my God, the one here,
right here–but whom I ask (when I remember), to stay close, to keep up.
I’ve got a lot to do and I want to do it with Him and the day is going
by so fast and the list of things to do is long and the kids are almost
home. Has this been a good day, Father? Can you show me what it means to have a good day?" http://youaremygirls.com/2014/04/17/what-it-means-to-have-a-good-day/

Most of our growth in godliness does not take place in the
extraordinary moments in life, but in the everyday joys, hardships, and mundane
tasks. I know that I have the ability for remarkable growth if I will just
learn to think more intentionally about what God is or might be doing in and
around me. I'm trying to keep this in mind throughout this week.
http://jenthorn.com/blog/2014/4/14/set-your-mind-on-christ-today

Jesus changes everything. He changes our identity. He changes our hope. He
changes our perspective. He changes our desires. He changes our grieving. He
changes our joy. He changes our lives from the inside out. All by His grace. http://tooverflowing.com/jesus-changes-everything/

The first step in that process is suffering. Loss is a part of life. We’ll
all endure hardship and heartache on this side of heaven. When we suffer, we
have two choices: press on or give up. Jim Rohn once said, “We
all must suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of
regret.”http://holleygerth.com/finding-hope-in-unexpected-places/

Prayer Beads~Reminder To Pray

A Journey For Life

A Railroad wife and homeschooling stay at home mom to two children! We are Raising Arrows and enjoying this journey of faith! I have a slight obsession with books. I'm Minnesota raised, lived in Texas and Kentucky, Tennessee is home! I started this blog to keep long distance family/friends up-to-date on birth of our first child and since then it has become much more. Hubby is a Railroad Engineer. #journeyofFAITH